Caliber
by OlorinisGandalf
Summary: Nina finds herself in a new rivalry after her latest contract killing.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Amnesic**

" _I can't remember how it all happened. It comes back to me in flashes and echoes. What I remember is mostly bad… maybe that's why I was trying to forget. Maybe cryo-sleep was my blessing in disguise."_ Nina thought, she was spread across a queen sized bed in a lavish hotel room. It had reached the darkest hours of the night and the city outside had become quiet. Nina was going over the events of her latest assassination in her head. It had been an easy job, she set up a sniper rifle on top of a warehouse roof, which had a magnificent view of a ball event. She waited for a rich looking bloke with blonde hair and blue eyes to enter and _bang!_ She stroked the complimentary silk pillows as she remembered the panic of the man's bodyguards. It had been a simple job, but lately every job was simple to Nina. The killings that had gave her purpose in life were becoming ordinary tasks. Watching that man fall to the ground and seeing the fear in his eyeless eye lids didn't even cause her to flinch.

" _This is all becoming too easy "she thought._ Finally, she rolled out of bed and walked into the master bathroom. Her feet glided across the penny tile floor as she began to slowly unbuckle her signature catsuit. Her voluptuous body emerged from the spandex, her blonde hair cascading down her backside. She entered the shower, twisting the golden gilded knob to allow the water to run. Steam slowly rose into the air.

Moments later Nina emerged with her blonde locks in a bun, and a white gown to sleep in. Water still dripped from her hair onto the floor, and a steamy mist followed her back to her bedroom. She clicked on the desk lamp by her bed, and pulled open a drawer revealing a combat knife. " _Better safe than sorry."_ Nina usually wasn't so cautious, however she also usually wasn't offered a hotel room. She always had to book her own hotel rooms, and they were usually cheap just some shabby motel on the side of the road; however her clients insisted she stay in this five star hotel in Paris. Her clients were owners of large corporations, this particular hotel was one of many of their assets. Nina knew all about the deception of wealthy business men, so she took their offer with caution. She slipped the knife beneath her silk pillow and then reached behind the mahogany headboard. From it she pulled a device with a large red button on it, upon pressing the button an unseen gun cocked. Nina smirked, and finally stretched onto the bed feeling secure. She allowed her eyes to rest, and shut close.

Then there were many broken images surrounding her, swirling in a mass tornado of fury. She was in the eye of the storm. She could only catch glimpses of most of the images, while the rest seemed to either be blank or faded beyond comprehension. She saw an image of a smaller her sharing a breakfast with her family, and another of her most memorable contract, but then she saw an image of her father laying in snow, there was blood leaking everywhere. It filled the image and then burst through the frames. Nina gasped as the blood flooded the eye of the tornado, she reached towards the images but they became shards of glass. Her eyes widened and her heart beat became the rhythm of a machine gun, the blood was rising fast. She looked around frantically but there was no escape from this terrible nightmare. The blood reached her throat, closing around it like a pair of hands, dragging her underneath. She screamed for her life and found herself waking up in a dark room.

It took a minute for Nina to realize where she was, the silk pillows were slashed to pieces and her knife was bathed in blood. Her hair had been yanked from its bun, and her gown was torn to shreds revealing her lace undergarments. Nina sat up for a minute in complete confusion, her eyes scanning the room for her attacker. The window door to the patio had been shattered, and whoever the attacker was lunged across the room and tried to strangle Nina. There was a trail of blood on the floor that led to the bathroom, it was pitch black in there. Having put together the puzzle, Nina sprung to action leaping out of bed and vaulting towards the bathroom door leaving no time for warnings. She flicked the light on and prepared to slash anything in sight, then she caught a glimpse of a body hunched over the toilet in a puddle of blood.

"Who sent you?!" Nina demanded, brandishing her knife ready for any surprises.

It was man, he had silver wisps of hair and he was dressed like a butler of a very wealthy estate. There was a long pause. "Ms. Emilie de Rochefort send her regards." He groaned and then all at once his knees buckled and his body went limp as he fell backwards on to the floor. He had been saving his strength to all only make sure his message was received.

"Idiot" Nina muttered, "Now I have to clean up your sloppy mess, and send a message back to your brat."

She scoffed and uttered a few curse words, before exiting the bathroom and returning with a tank of gasoline. "This is gonna ruin my weekend plans old man." She said, as gasoline splashed all over his dead body soaking his fine suit. She then made a trail from the bathroom to the bedroom and set the tanker on the floor. She retrieved a duffel bag from a hallway closet and pulled out a small explosive. She set the timer for one minute, and then made a prompt exit through the shattered patio window, where she disappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Blonde Retribution**

Sirens blared and brakes squealed in the panic of midnight. Nina found herself outside some sleazy bar on the outskirts of Monaco, she was dressed in a white vest and form-fitting jeans, and she had a .45 hidden in the waistline. As usual, Nina was prepared. She strolled boldly into the bar where she was greeted by leers and cat-calls but she had more important things on her mind. The bar was like any typical bar, poorly lit with stables placed in any random fashion. There was jukebox drowning out all the roars of laughter and dirty jokes, and it smelled like overpriced beer. Cigarette smoke wafted in the air creating a misty filter over the whole scene, and a worn-out waitress navigated through the clouds of smoke being puffed out by her patrons. The perfect cover for a covert operation like this. She scanned the bar, until her eyes came upon the man she was looking for. A man who looked to be in his late forties with slick jet-black hair and a silver goatee. He wore a suit that looked like it was woven with the balance in his bank account, and his silver eyes beamed with business. She approached the table where he was sitting, he had picked the darkest corner of the bar. He greeted her with a smile as she pulled out a chair and settled down.

"You usually don't contact this soon after'er contract. What went wrong?" He said, he had a heavy Russian accent.

"Maybe I just needed some company," Nina teased, they both laughed for a moment, "But all pleasantries aside. Last night I was attacked in my sleep."

"Impossible!" Orlov said, the shock written all over his face.

"I thought so too. I usually don't ask you for favors Orlov, but this is about keeping up a reputation. Surely you can understand that?"

"Yes, I can. An' I usually don't do much favors, but fer you I will see what I can do."

"Perfect." Nina smirked, "What have you gathered so far?"

Orlov reached underneath the table, pulling out a high tech laptop. He opened the laptop and screen revealed photos captured by surveillance videos, and transactions made by an Emilie de Rochefort.

"The rich girl hasn't been seen since you've murdered her father. The last traces of her that are available claim she took a plane to Sweden. However there is no proof of her ever boarding this plane."

"What's in Sweden?" Nina wondered but before Orlov could answer they were interrupted by a clamor. A brawl had broken out by the pool table between a slim man and a larger goateed man. The slimmer man was using the pool stick as weapon to defend himself against the heavy swings of the larger one. The waitress was shouting over the counter telling the two to take it outside. The men lumbered out the doors drunken and defeated. Unimpressed by the show, Nina returned to her discussion. However Orlov's eyes were widened, looking in the direction of the door.

"Get down!" He yelled as he ducked below the table. Nina didn't even look back as she flipped over to Orlov's side of the table and brandished her gun. Orlov was armed as well, he put a finger to his lips and mouthed the sound "shhhhhh." He gestured Nina to follow him. The bar had grown quiet, as if time had suddenly stopped. Then suddenly there were very heavy thuds, the sounds of combat boots pounding the ground. The heavy footsteps of hired guns! " _ **How did they know I would be here?**_ " Nina wondered. Glancing under the table she saw the legs of three men, their calves bulged underneath their pants legs. They were not your typical brawlers, Nina got a feeling that the outburst a moment ago was just the pre-show.

" _ **It looks like the brat has her eyes on this city, a lot of effort for someone in hiding",**_ Nina thought. Nina knew, before Orlov even made the motion that a gun battle was going to ensue. She had prepared for such an occasion. Without warning she vaulted over the table, and unleashed a volley of bullets on the men. Caught off guard they had no defense against such a bold attack, one fell immediately to the floor and the other two ducked behind a table. Nina slid behind a booth and began reloading her gun, her heart was banging against her chest but she kept a cool composure, now was not the time to be panicking. She glanced down at the man who had fallen, a pool of blood was forming beneath him. " _ **One man down!**_ " The real show had begun!

The men were silent behind their table, they knew the potential of the threat they were facing. Nina had drawn the first blood, and backed them into a corner. She had caught them off guard, by making the first move. Now it was their turn, and their enemy was waiting for them to make their move. The men looked at each other, and nodded both of them deciding on the only strategical decision that could be made. Then they both pulled a grenade from their belt of tools and rolled them towards Nina's hiding place.

Nina, heard the pulling of grenade pins and knew it was time to move. She dashed across the bar firing her gun as she went. The men fired back from behind their cover, and the bullets ripped the bar to shreds. BOOM! The grenades exploded, throwing Nina across the bar. In the midst of the chaos Orlov peeped from behind the table, and fired an expert shot at the second man. BLAM! The shot hollowed the man's brains. Nina found herself dazed behind a pillar in the bar. It had been awhile since she'd faced off against hired gun that were this ruthless.

There was only one man left, he had managed to relocate during the last move while his teammate was taken down by an unidentified player. There was only one move left to be made. He was outmatched and therefore outgunned, he could take down the unidentified player but he had lost sight of the target in the blast. And the target was the biggest threat in the game. The police would be arriving anytime now, and he wouldn't be able to cash a check from prison. The man considered his options, and just as he reached his decision. WHAM! Nina swept from underneath him, and sucker-punched him knocking him unconscious.

Orlov stood from behind the table scanning the room to make sure all the threats were eliminated.

"Well that confirms it." He said.

"It sure does." Nina answered, "The blonde brat is still here in her fortress."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A Night to Remember

The stars of the night sky twinkled above the moonlit city of Monaco. Skyscrapers stood tall, illuminated by the lights within, casting silhouettes of the city-dwellers who inhabited them. The lights traced the entire arc of the city, creating a heavenly blaze. It was a magnificent scene. Soon, that beauty would be interrupted by gunfire and explosions.

*Inside the Monaco Estate*

"Madam, we haven't received any word from squad Delta, shall we prepare for— "

"Do what you must! It is imperative that you use all the force you can muster to eliminate the enemy!" These words were spoken from the French heiress herself, Emile de Rochefort. She took the hand of the commander of her recently hired mercenary group. "I would be very disappointed if you failed," she said leaning closely to look in the man's eyes. He was a rough man who had clearly gotten years of experience in the field. His hands were dirty with gunpowder, and he had a beard that was matted and unkempt. His black eyes showed no signs of trepidation, yet his body language showed that he was prepared for the unexpected. He stood strong, as Lili warned him that he wasn't up against just any rag-tag assassin.

"My men are some of the most well-trained soldiers in the business. We have fought and won many battles against powerful enemies. The United Nations even has us on call, if any disaster strikes!" the man rejoiced, prideful memories of victory flashing through his mind, "You can count on them to get the job done, and avenge your fallen father!"

Lili smiled, "I will leave it to you then. Now I must depart for a moment to prepare for the approaching battle. I will be occupying my father's office if you need me." And with that Lili twirled away leaving the man to consult with his team. She danced across her beautifully tiled floors, and pirouetted up the grand staircase making her way to the office that had once belonged to her father. As she came closer to the mahogany brown doors of the office, she paused before them for a moment. A memory passed of when she was young, and her father had just acquired his great wealth. She remembered the pride in his eyes as he confessed that he never believed he would make it this far. _"That foul woman must pay,"_ Lili thought.

She pressed open the office doors, they swung open and slammed against the connecting walls letting out a gust of wind. The office contained bookshelves and a large desk, all made out of the same mahogany wood as the door. It was a room shaped like a semi-circle that led out to a balcony, the balcony doors were usually closed during the night because no one usually occupied it during that time. However tonight it was opened, and someone had to have opened it. Lili tensed at this revelation, no lights were on inside the room creating quite an amassment of darkness. The balcony doors stood wide open, causing the wind to whistle inside the dark room. Lili entered with caution, pacing slowly on to the velvet rug that covered the floor of the office. She circled around the desk, twisting her head this way and that in case she caught a glimpse of her father's murderer _._ She reached the balcony doors, and hastily swung them closed. She then scanned the room searching for signs of an intruder. Feeling secure she approached her father's desk. She flicked on the lamp her father kept at his desk, the orange light illuminated the room.

The room looked the same as he had left it. The maid kept the dust from accumulating on the surfaces of everything, so it appeared as if he had never left. This comforted Lili, made it feel as if he wasn't really gone. But the fact was inescapable, and neither was the woman who waited in the shadows behind the mahogany doors.

Lili began rummaging through some of the drawers of her father's office desk. She found a bunch of papers, some of them newspaper clippings. Headlines regarding the Mishima Financial Group, A few old comics, completed cross-word puzzles, and an obituary of a Mrs. Rochefort. Lili looked over this for a moment, she never thought the word orphan might apply to her. A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered seeing two of the greatest people she had ever known, and loved buried. " _At least they are together again."_ She thought, wiping her tears away, and brushing her long blonde hair back, " _I will avenge you father!"_ Lili placed the obituary back in the pile of papers, and closed the drawer. She bowed her head for a moment, and then began to walk towards the office doors.

Suddenly the doors slammed shut, and a figure stepped from the shadows. Caught off guard Lili leaped into action, flipping across the room and crashing her heel into the figures chest. The figure yelped, and then performed a counter attack just as Lili landed on her feet. The figure struck Lili across the face causing her to stumble backwards into the mahogany doors. Lili prepared for another attack, but instead found herself pinned against the door with the barrel of a pistol aimed at her. It was a brunette woman at the other end aiming the gun, the ends of her lips curled into a devious smile.

"I didn't expect you to be so quick, I guess you aren't completely helpless." The woman said, her voice oozed seduction and everything naughty. Her stance was firm, and her finger was on the trigger. Lili's killer had arrived in a long, red Chinese dress.

"I expected assassins to have a nobler sense in style." Lili retorted, "Why haven't you ended me yet you foul cur?"

The two women shared eye contact for a brief moment, before finally the brunette haired woman burst into laughter. She laughed so hard tears started to form in her eyes, and she found herself bent over clenching her stomach. Lili did not find the display amusing, but still she waited for an answer.

"Well..." Lili questioned.

The woman calmed herself, a cackle still stretched across her face as she turned to look at Lili. "Darling I'm not here to kill you." Lili remained motionless, puzzled as the woman placed her gun back in its hidden holster.

"I'm here to help you. And judging from how easy it was to very nearly kill you, you're gonna need all the help you can get, if you want to kill my dear old _sister_ Nina."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Preparation is Key**

Lasers lined the dimly lit walls of the Rochefort estate, like some abstract art project made of red strings. The lasers flash in different patterns, revealing the silhouettes of the hired guns that traced back and forth throughout the hallways. Anna was in the main entrance, sitting comfortably in a chair she had commandeered from the dining room. The main entrance was a vast hall with marbled floors and a grand staircase. It was illuminated by the domed skylights above, casting shadows and shafts of light eerily upon the marbled floors and Anna.

It would only be a matter of time before Nina arrived. " _That bitch!_ ", Anna thought. She was anticipating her attack tonight, the thought of seeing her sister caught off guard by her appearance brought a devilish smile to her face. She caressed the semi-automatic rifle that rested on her lap. She remembered the last time they faced off preceding The King of Iron Fist Tournament 5: the battle that had lasted for five whole days, without either of them landing a single bullet in the other. Last time it was Anna who was caught off guard, but this time it would be Nina who is unprepared.

Lili had remained in her father's study; this time the balcony door had been reinforced with steel on Anna's behalf. Anna had also offered to take over in securing the estate and eliminating her father's murderer, "Pro bono" she had said. The offer had brought much delight to the young heiress. Although she wondered what ulterior motives the brunette assassin might have; she kept such suspicions to herself.

She was leaning against her father's desk, then she began pacing in circles before it. Then she pulled out his chair and sat down for a moment, only before rising again and returning to her original position leaning on the desk. She started twirling her golden locks, and tapping the ends of her heels together. The anticipation was driving her insane. She began thinking of all the different things that could happen, the various scenarios played in her mind on a loop. In one scenario Nina would come bursting through the door, and immediately land a bullet between her eyes. In another she rolled a canister of tear gas underneath the door, causing Lili to suffocate and pass out.

Suddenly Lili's eyes started watering, and her chest seized up on her. She tried to inhale, but it felt someone's hands were at her throat. Finally, unable to take the building tension, she ran to the wide mahogany doors of her father's study and threw them open. She lurched out into the connecting hallway, and collapsed to her knees. The guard on duty immediately rushed to her aid.

"Are you okay?", he asked, lifting her up by her left elbow and resting her on the adjacent wall. She leaned on the wall in a daze, unresponsive. The guard kneeled over and observed her, his hand gripping her jaw, he turned her head left, then right. He caressed her smooth ivory skin with his forefinger, letting it move along her cupid's bow. She was beautiful. What seemed to have only last a few seconds had actually lasted quite longer. Realizing this he then began checking her vitals. He placed his index and middle finger on her neck, and held them there for exactly a minute. While doing this he also listened for her breathing. "Everything is in check," He said. He looked at her puzzled as to why the blonde might've suddenly fallen out.

Unsure of what action to take next, the guard simply picked the heiress up and carried her back into the study. He placed her into the chair behind the desk, and closed the mahogany doors. He stayed inside with her in case something of similar nature happened again.

"The target's been located", a man whispered into his walkie-talkie as he lowered his hi-tech binoculars. There was a beep, then the voice of the blonde assassin spilled out, "perfect." He was one of Nina's trusted few, Abel, a colleague she'd worked with on a past mission in Cambodia. He was perched on the rooftop of a building that over-looked the entire city of Monaco. From there he could see Oliver and Francis, two men Nina had also worked with in the past. They were moving into position. Nina herself was nowhere to be seen, always the master of stealth.

Abel leaned down and retrieved a high-powered sniper rifle that had been laying at his foot. He began setting it up, and angled it down towards the house. He looked through the scope, adjusting it so that he could see into the house clearly. Fully prepared, he waited for Nina's signal.

Oliver placed one foot in front of the other, pulling tightly on the anchored rope. Francis only a few feet behind him, they scaled the iron gates of the Rochefort estate. In the complete darkness Oliver was making sure not to slip. As he finally reached the top, he tossed himself over and leaped down, careful to not make a sound. He then began searching for the duffel bags they had thrown over prior to the great climb. As he found it he heard a soft _thud_ behind him. He turned around to find that Francis had made his way to the other side of the gate. Oliver tossed Francis his duffel bag.

Using hand motions he then directed Francis to take the west end, while he took the east end. They split up, and headed around either end of the estate. Once they had both found themselves in the correct position they walkie-talkied that they were ready. They waited for a moment, listening to the static.

There was a beep, followed by Nina's voice. "Begin."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Guns N' Assassinations**

Thwack! Nina had slapped her .45 into its holster, and jammed a clip into her Ak-47. She was crouched behind a bush in front of the south-facing end of the Rochefort Estate. The mansion loomed on the moonlit horizon. A white castle. A fortress, armed with the world's best mercenary team and an advanced security system that even Nina had never encountered before.

The rich brat had gone far and beyond to ensure that the house was protected. Of course nothing could stop Nina from getting in. She had enough explosives to bring down an entire correctional facility, thanks to Francis and Oliver. Francis being an expert infiltrator, and Oliver a special-ops agent also gave her a better advantage. Getting into the Rochefort estate was going to be a breeze. She was concerned about getting out. There hadn't been much information to gather about the security with such limited time. What was gathered was thanks to Orlov and Abel.

Abel had counted all the men guarding the estate. Ten mercenaries, one in each hallway, and two in the kitchen and dining areas. It was Orlov who was able to give Nina a layout of the building and its security measures. The Rochefort estate was a colossal building that stretched out in the shape of a rectangle with a semi-circle protruding from the middle that served as the entrance hall. Nina had planned to have Oliver attack the upper levels, while Francis focused on eliminating the guards on the base floor. While Oliver and Francis got the guards attention, she would spring into action and slip right past the front door. While they created utter chaos, Nina would find the brat and give her what she deserved. They would all make speedy exits- with the help of the tear gas Francis had stocked up- and convene in an abandoned warehouse for debriefing. It was only a matter of time before…

BOOM!

The west end of the Estate erupted into flames and smoke, the sound of gunfire quickly followed. Then like clockwork...

BOOM!

Smoke and debris came tumbling out of the East end. No gunfire, the guards were probably already on their way to the West end. Nina took the cue and charged over the bush towards the Rochefort's front door. She somersaulted onto a ledge above the door, and smashed out the overhead widows. She peered through to the other side. Ahead of her was the entrance hall. She viewed a staircase that led her to the second floor, before it was an empty chair. _Strange,_ Nina thought _, it's unlikely one of these mercs would rest on the job_. She shook her head, now was not the time to question the work ethic of her enemies. She slipped her right leg through the window allowing the rest of her body to follow. She squeezed through and landed on the other side. _Easier than I expected._ Nina kneeled in the darkness for a moment, scanning the room for anything- or anyone -she might've missed. _You would think they would have someone guarding the main entran…_

BLAM!

Nina was caught mid-thought, and bullets sprayed in her direction. She quickly dodged to her left as bullets whizzed over her head, and pile-drived the marble floor beneath her. She vaulted over the chair and pulled her Ak out in mid-air. She fired back in her attacker's direction, hoping the counterattack would be enough to get them to take cover. It wasn't. The gunfire continued as the attacker fired at a furious clip. The marbled floor of the estate flew up into pieces, shards striking up into the air. Nina landed finally, and slid behind the staircase. She leaned against the cold mantle, sweat dripping down her back. Her mind raced as she contemplated how close she was to nearly escaping her death. She had hoped to catch her breath, when suddenly she heard the familiar sounds of pins being pulled.

Grenades wobbled their way expertly to her position. Her heart hammered in her chest. No time to think. Nina leaped from her hiding place, and faced another volley of bullets. The flash of the muzzle blinded her in the darkness, and the echo of the chamber didn't allow for much else to be heard. She couldn't hear if Oliver, or Francis were anywhere near to help her out of this rough spot or even knew she was in one. BOOM! The grenades detonated, and swept away Nina and what remained of the marble floor. The force threw Nina to the opposite side of the staircase and cracked her backside against a recessed alcove, the wind knocked out of her.

She rested for a moment, hidden by the alcove. Her lungs ached, every breathe was accompanied by a wheeze. Her spine felt as if it was lined with fire, and it began spreading from the center of her back to the crook of her neck. If she had flown any harder, it might've snapped. Yet it didn't, and it was intentional. Realizing this Nina sprout up from her back, and rested on her knees. She looked onward, eyes scanning the room once again.

"I know it's you Anna" Nina's epiphany was met with devilish snickering.

"Oh my sister dearest, you know I couldn't resist this opportunity." Anna answered from the darkness, Nina listened with intent. "It's been so long since we last played together, I was getting kind-a bored."

"This is not the time for your silly games," Nina said with a stark coldness. She spoke into the darkness.

Silence.

Nina waited for a reply- not that she cared for one -it was the only way to locate Anna in the crushing darkness. Far off somewhere she heard gunfire erupt in an upper end hallway. "Oh so you brought friends?" Anna's voice was louder. "Don't worry they'll get to join in on my little game too." Closer. It echoed off the walls of the hall, sounded like it was coming from…

Without warning a leg came swinging directly at Nina's face. Nina ducked just in time for it to miss her head, it landed just inches from her face. Moving concisely, Nina reached up and wrangled it. She began to twist it when, the brunette returned a counter move of her own, slamming her leg onto the floor. Nine slid from underneath before it reached its descent, but she wasn't quick enough to dodge Anna's next attack. Smack! A hit straight to jaw, that sent her stumbling backwards. Anna continued with the momentum leaping in the air to land a kick. Nina dodged this and traded her blow with a _jab_ followed by a swift roundhouse kick sending Anna flying backwards. She fell to the floor, but rose quickly. The two sisters were now facing each other, hands up in fighting stances.

Anna's determination was etched on her face, her nostrils flared and sweat dripped from her brow. Nina kept a stone cold grin. They faced each other off for a moment, staring each other down waiting for either of them to make a move. The air between them was still, and somewhere gunfire was still going off.

Nina's eyes darted from Anna, to the staircase, then to Anna again. "I did not come here to replay the events of some damn fighting tournament!" She said through gritted teeth, "Get out of my way, or die!" Anna smirked, and then made her move. She lunged at Nina, swinging her feet into a roundhouse kick. Nina had other plans as she reached for her holstered .45. She dodged Anna's roundhouse, the move giving her direct access to her sister's cranium. She took aim.

BLAM!


End file.
